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G. H. RBYNULDS.

. PNBUMATIG GUN.

No. 421.308. Patented Feb. 1l, 1890*.

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No. 421,308.l

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IG. H. REYNOLDS. PNBUMATIG GUN.

No. 421,808. Patented Feb. 11,1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. REYNOLDS, OF NEWT YORK, N. Y.

PNEUMATIC GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,308, dated February 11, 1890.

Application filed March 14, 1889. Serial No. 303,220. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. REYNOLDS,

. ot the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Cannon, of which the following is a specification. l

The invention 'is intended more especially forcannon operated by compressed air of high tension and adapted to throw large projectiles containing high explosives; but it may be carried out with a wide range of sizes and of various proportions, and may serve with other gases than atmospheric air, and the pressure of the gas may be induced by other means than mechanical compression.

I will use the word firing in its technical sense as used by military men to define the act of discharging the gun, although in this gun there is no ignition of powder or other combustible. I will use the word air to designate the large volumes of gas under pressure employed to impel the projectile.

Vhat I consider the best means of carrying out the invention are fully described below, and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication. There are three sheets of the drawings.

Figure 1 represents that part of the barrel of the gun which is behind the trunnions, showing the breech arranged `for two ringvalves with the auxiliary valves connected tovthem. It also represents the arrangement of the hand-lever with the quadrant and valve-rod by which the gun is tired. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, on the line P P in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line Q Q in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on a larger scale. It shows the construction in detail of one of the iiring-valves. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line x @o in Fig. 3 on a larger scale, and Fig. G is a vertical section on the line y 'y in Fig. 5.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding'parts in all the figures where they appear.

In large guns it is not easy to safely admit the air to the barrel through one firing-valve on account of the great weight which such a valve would have. I have therefore -devised shown and desc 1ibed.

be called double piston-valves, each valve having twol pistons of different sizes, the smaller next the gun and opening and closing the aperture into the gun by an end wise movement, the `smaller piston serving as a puppet-valve. There are two tiringvalves mounted in corresponding casings M, which, having the inlet and outlet nozzles at right angles to each other, form the connection between the side pipes e and the openings S for the admission of air into the gunbarrel. They are so connected and arranged as to be operated and controlled by one auxiliary valve J K. The pair of auxillary valves are of different sizes. The smaller, operated by hand, controlling the action of the larger and the larger controlling .the action of the firing-valves. The larger auxiliary valve K is like a tiring-valve in form and in mode of operation, but, being smaller, 1s

easierworked and serves as means of operatvThe handwhich may be equally considered a chamber surrounding each tiring-valve and in free communication with the` side pipes e', there is always the full pressure which is accumulated in the reservoirs, (not shown,)--say one thousand pounds per square inch. This pressl ure is also communicated through the ducts G- and pipes g to the rearmost chamber under the auxiliary valves. (See Figs. l, 2, and 3.)

The chamber surrounding the larger auxiliary valve K (see Fig. 5) is in communication through the duct G and pipe g" with the chamber D24 at the end of each tiring-valve farthest from the barrel of the gun. In this system of chambers and pipes the pressure is ordinarily the full pressure of the reservoirs; but I provide means for suddenly reducing it for a brief period. and again im- IOO mediately restoring it. AWhen it is reduced, the strong pressure in each chamber D22, acting with more force against the larger piston M2 of its firing-valve by reason of its larger area than the piston M', causes each firingvalve to move endwise away from the barrel D and from the seat D22, allowing the air to iiow freely at its full pressure from the chamber D22 into the barrel and iinpel the projectile, (notshown.) Itis important that it be opened with great rapidity and that it remain open only so long as is required, as otherwise too much air will escape from the reservoirs. I' provide for graduating the period which the firing-valves remain open, so as to determine the range of the projectile with a given pressure of the air and a given elevation of the gun, and also for operating the large firing-valves with only a moderate amount of effort by the gunner.

l The smaller firing-valve J has a connection with the rod N', so that it can be opened by turning the lever N in the direction of the arrow, (see Fig. 1,) moving the valve J rearward.l This movement lifts it away from its scat and allows all the compressed air in the chamber surrounding it, and also that in the communicating chamber (Z3 at the outer end of the larger auxiliary valve K, to be exhausted into the atmosphere, the holes j in the valve J, through which air is admitted to these spaces from the side pipes e', being closed by this movement. The larger auxiliary valve K is also a double-piston valve workin g in corresponding cylinders, the larger piston K' being rearward in the chamber and the forward and smaller piston K2 being in the chamber before referred to and holding the compressed air in that chamber, and consequently pressing on the outer ends of each iiring-valve M so long as the auxiliary valve K is pressed tightly upon its seat D14; but the momentthe pressure is discharged from the chamber d3 at the rear end of the larger auxiliary valve K this valve moves rearward in obedience to the pressure within it acting with most force on the larger piston K', and this movement opens its front end and allows the air to escape from t-he passage d6, with the effect to relieve the firing-valves from the pressure on their larger outer ends and cause them to open and the projectile to be expelled with l the required velocity.

I have provided means for insuring' that the 4firing-valves shall be closed automatically after the requisite brief period of remaining open.

The rear portion of the rod N' is enlarged and slotted and receives the end of the Valvestem J 3 loosely. In the slot is pivoted a lever O, having a long arm which extends out and is forked and embraces the stem KI3 of the valve K just within the collar K1. A short arm of this lever is hook-formed (see Fig. 5) and presses against the end of the valve-stem J 3 when the gunner operates the iiring-lever N, and thus opens the valve J by pressing it forcibly rearward; but so soon as ithas opened and relieved the pressure in rear of the larger valve K the latter moves rearward and acts with its collar K4L to turn the lever O against the force of spring O'. ment has progressed to sufficient extent the short arm of the lever O releases the end of the valve-stem J 2, thus allowing the valve J to instantly close if the cock which admits compressed air from the reservoirs through the holesj be wide open and to close morelslowly if this cock be partially closed. So soon/as the valve J has closed compressed air entertering through the holes j again restores the high pressure on the rear end of the larger auxiliary valvev K, urging it again forward into its closed position and again allowing the strong pressure to flow through the passage CZH and fill the chamber D2'l and shut the firing-valves.

Vhen by the action of the auxiliary valve K thepiston M is lifted from its seat, the air flows into the barrel D, and the amount of air admitted is governed by the lift of the valve, this lift being determined by the adjustable buffer Y, which projects into the interior of the double piston M' M2, which is hollowed out toreceive it, and provided with a seat of fibrous material M3, which stops against the buffer. This buffer acts as a nut for the screw Zbeing prevented from turning by the arms Y', which slide in longitudinal grooves y in the interior of the chamber D2". The screw Z passes through the bonnet by the stem Z', the end or" which is squared to receive a wrench, by which it may be turned. It is evident that by means of this screw the bufferY may be forceddown upon the valve, so that the latter could not leave its seat at all, or it may be raised to admit of any degree of opening of the valve that maybe desired,the amount of such opening being shown by the index X upon the scale X', and the saine made a matter of record, if desired. This method of regulating the lift of thefiring-valve, and thereby determining the period it remains open, obviates the necessity of a stop-cock regulator between the'auxiliary valve K and the two or more firing-valves M, the lift being governed absolutely and not merely checked in its movement by the rush of inflowing air from the auxiliary valve in the duct by which pressure is restored to the back of the piston M2 but a cock in such situation can also be used, if desired, in any case. By means of the small regulating stop-cock i the time in which the auxiliary valve J is returned to its seat can be very accurately adjusted. It is shown in Figs, l and 5 of the present specification I have found that the ordinary stuffing-box and gland are incapable of preventing leakage by the stems of valves under the heavy pressure necessarily used in pneumatic guns, and l have devised a specially-efficient method of packing such stems. (Shown in Fig. 4,where l employ it for packing the stem of the regu- So soon as this move- IOO ITO

lating-screw Z.) It consists ot' a ring of leather or other iiexible material Z3, held between the face of the collar Z2 on the stem and the bottom of the recess into which the collar fits. The internal pressure of the airin the chamber I)24 keeps the collar tightly against the leather seat, the pores of which are lled with paratne or some such medium, and the joint is therefore absolutely tight against the passage oi' air. The form of firing-valve here used needs no hydraulic packing to prevent the leakage of air, the nozzle D21 forming the only opening by which air can pass, and that being absolutely closed when the piston M is upon the seat D23.

Modicat-ions may be made without departing from the principle or sacriiicing the advantages of the invention. I can use more than two tiring-valves; but I esteem it important to arrange whatever number may be used so that each shall be substantially balanced by another or others on the opposite side ot' the barrel, and that all shall be operate'd by the same auxiliary valve or valves.

I claim as my invention l. In a pneumatic gun, a reservoir for compressed air, a barrel, a tiring-valve, and means for operating it by the action of the air, in combination with an adjustable buffer Y, located within the tiring-valve and arranged to limit the opening of the valve, as herein specified.

2. In a pneumatic gun having a quicklyopening iring-valve operated by the force of the compressed air, an adjustable buffer Y, located Within the ring-valve and arranged to limit its opening, in' combination with a brous seat M3 Within the valve, and with a device Z, carrying the buer and adjustable in the bonnet for adjusting the position of the-buffer, and consequently the extent to which the valve is allowed to open, substantially v as herein specified.

a recess in the bonnet, in combination with the tiring-valve, the stem Z, and collar Z2 on said stem, having a rotary motion and arranged to serve to adjust the buffer Y, as

herein specified.

5. In a pneumatic gun, the multiple firingvalves M M 011 opposite sides of the breech, in combination with the hand-lever N, the auxiliary valves, and its connections with said auxiliary valves arranged for operating `them simultaneously, as herein specied.

6. In a pneumatic gun, the multiple ringvalves M M, arranged on opposite sides of the breech, and suitable operating means for said valves, in `combination with two air-pipes e', leading from thetrunnions to said valves,and with provisions for supplying compressed air through the latter and arranged to operate substantially as herein speciiied.

7. In a pneumatic gun, the multiple firingvalves M M, arranged on opposite sides of the breech, in combination with adjustable buffers Y, located within the valve and with an auxiliary valve K, located between land having connection with each ot said valves, and means for operating them by compressed air, all arranged to serve as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at New York city, New York, this 13th day of March, 1889, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. H. REYNOLDS.

IVitnesses:

CHARLES R. SEARLE, Cries. F. BARTER. 

